THE ORIGINS OF CHILDRENS CAREER ASPIRATIONS .4. TESTING HYPOTHESES FROM 4 THEORIES

In a study of 949 elementary students, mixed support was found for fou r theoretical positions concerning the role of childhood in career dev elopment. For Ginzberg's theory, support was found for his observation that interests play the major role in both the selection and rejectio n of careers throughout the period of childhood. For Roe's theory, the authors found evidence that family configuration influenced occupatio nal choice/no choice. From Havighurst's theory, support was found for the idea that identification with a parent's work is particularly stro ng among younger children. A number of aspects of each of the theories failed to be confirmed.